Geocaching in the MEDIA

[fraggle69]

An advert advertising geocaching holidays was pointed out to me in a walking magazine 'HW' I think it was called.
Anyway, it was insanely titled 'digging up buried treasure'. Basicaly you pay the company a load of dosh and they take you geocaching.
It didn't mention one specific website that caches were listed on, it just outlined what they thought geocaching was and what's involved.
If it's there own caches they're charging money to go find, I don't suppose there's a problem, but if it's to come and find one of my caches, I am not all that impressed. If anyone wants an introduction, I am happy to do it for free, ok well payment in kind hehe.

Would you pay loads of money to go on a geocaching holiday? I think they call these 'events' in the caching world?
Whats' GAGB's thoughts on this, and do you think GSP would be critical or get in on the act because there's money to be made?

[Edgemaster]

Would you pay loads of money to go on a geocaching holiday? I think they call these 'events' in the caching world?
Whats' GAGB's thoughts on this, and do you think GSP would be critical or get in on the act because there's money to be made?

I think it's wrong.

GSP won't get in on the act - they're not that greedy. They understand and accept that the basis of the sport is free and cannot be limited by one company. Paying a company as a tour guide to caches just doesn't sit right, and won't sit right with the community.

I believe I read in the other place that one company that had offered such a caching trail effectively wrecked the caches they used due to the (compartitivly) large influx of effectivly muggles not following the standard caching etiquette. Eg trade rules and TBs going missing.

If a company is going to try something like this, the 'rules' of caching must be made clear, and it should also be made clear that caching is a free sport.

[nobbynobbs]

While I agree that it's not in the spirit and it's also likely to cause hassle I'm not sure what we or anyone could do to stop them.

If you had an idea where the next trip was going to be then the local owners could contact them and advise them that they weren't happy or just list their caches as members only but other than that what can anyone do?

[Bill D (wwh)]

I think there's at least one company that provides something like this but hides its own caches. I don't see a problem with that, but to charge to take people to caches listed on a listing site certainly isn't something I would approve of, but as Matt (nobby) has said, there's not much we could do about it.

If I knew that a company was doing that in an area where I own caches I'd contact the company and ask them not to visit mine. If they weren't co-operative I'd try to find out whether it was happening on specific dates, and if it was I'd temporarily disable my caches on and a bit before those dates.

I'm not sure that making the caches PM only would work, as the company could very well be a PM itself.

[amberel]

... to charge to take people to caches listed on a listing site certainly isn't something I would approve of ...

I entirely agree that it doesn't sound right, but after thinking about it, maybe the issue is not if they do it, but if they do it well.

If they clearly explained what it's all about, taught people to respect the environment and minimise their impact on it, what might make a good cache and what to avoid, how properly to deal with travel bugs and coins and so on, then took small groups at a time and made sure they traded up, would it really be a bad thing?

On the other hand, if they did it badly, it certainly would be a bad thing.

Rgds, Andy

[dodgydaved]

but other than that what can anyone do?

.............in a previous existence a friend of mine and I have been known to let GSP know the details of any commercial organisation using caching for profit for it is VERY strictly against their guidelines and philosophy for anyone, commercial or charitable, to profit from the game --- unless, that is, they sanction it and profit from it also !

[fraggle69]

.............in a previous existence a friend of mine and I have been known to let GSP know the details of any commercial organisation using caching for profit for it is VERY strictly against their guidelines and philosophy for anyone, commercial or charitable, to profit from the game --- unless, that is, they sanction it and profit from it also !

I'd be happy to pass on any info requested, as long as there was something in it for me.

I was just gonna wait till a trip was organised then stone them at the first cache

[sTeamTraen]

I recently discovered that a tourist company was using one of my caches as one of four on a tour of the area where they operate. Of the other three, one was owned by another local cacher and two were owned by the company themselves (and not listed on any site).

I phoned them up, prepared to be irate, and they told me that they had found my original cache trashed, just the ammo box, and refilled it. So I was still irate, but less than I could have been. And the other cacher who called them discovered that they hadn't found his cache, which is on top of a castle, so they'd placed another one in the same latitude and longitude spot, at the bottom of the wall.

The overall result: confusion for geocachers not taking the commercial tour (it's not expensive, just 10 Euros to rent the GPS I think), and substantial danger for trackable items because the kind of people who take these tours will probably assume them to be regular swag. I archived my cache (well, it had been trashed anyway) to prevent trackables from getting into it.

However, there isn't much anyone can do. Nobody owns the word "Geocaching" and if the caches aren't submitted to geocaching.com, the reviewers can't know about them either. I just hope that these companies are not infringing on landowner agreements while waving the word "geocaching" about, as I'm not sure how many landowners appreciate the distinction between the various ways of listing caches.

[jacobite]

I think if it's done properly, then it could be a good thing for caching.
There are many companies making money out of caching (GSP being one of them). However, I don't think any of us like the thought of a commercial venture profiting from our caches, I think they'd have to use their own.

I can see a well thought out "Introduction to geocaching" being of benefit, not only to the potential newbie, but to the community as well.
If I thought the demand was there, I'd consider doing a workshop in my area! I mean, who better to promote geocaching in a responsible manner, than experienced cachers already in the game.

[jacobite]

You know, the more I think about it, there is a serious shortage of cachers in my area. The Scottish Borders could do with a shot in arm as far as caching's concerned. Hmmm? Maybe a few notices in the surrounding villages notice boards, and a presentation on geocaching in my local village hall might be an idea?

[jacobite]

.............in a previous existence a friend of mine and I have been known to let GSP know the details of any commercial organisation using caching for profit for it is VERY strictly against their guidelines and philosophy for anyone, commercial or charitable, to profit from the game --- unless, that is, they sanction it and profit from it also !

I'm only going to say that dodgydaved is correct. I'd like to say more, but it would only turn into a rant, be completely off-topic, and ultimately ruin my day.

Stepping away from the keyboard now